The Red Queen
by Lore55
Summary: Kaida wasn't a princess locked in a tower, she was a dragon set to guard it. Mikoto wasn't a charming prince sent to save her, he was a king content to let her fight for herself. This was a most bizarre love story she had ever heard of.
1. Kinetic

**This is actually a part of my other story, Lost Kings, which is very centered around One Piece. This is the K project part of it, that I decided I wanted to post separately. This is VERY rough and not at all beta'd. I know I messed up the tenses a few times. Sorry, I hope you'll enjoy it regardless!  
**

 **The Red Queen Chapter 1: Kinetic  
**

* * *

The whiteboard blurred at the front of the classroom as her eyes lost their focus for the umpteenth time that day. The girl grimaced and rubbed her dark eyes irritably. Damn the Dresden Slate, and damn her parents for raising her right on top of it.

It wasn't that much of a surprise that some kind of powers would manifest. Her brother could disappear from sight. Mom could calm people down by making eye contact.

Kaida just wished that it had manifested in something less annoying. Something like blue hair, or breathing underwater. Or, if it had to be her eyes, why couldn't they just never be dry? Why did she have to have numbers swimming in front of the timeline scratched on the board.

How was she supposed to learn anything if she couldn't see what she was doing!?

Kusanagi, who was unfortunate enough to sit next to her, kept shooting the girl glances. It wasn't everyday that Kaida, who was normally very friendly, or at least collected, would glare daggers into the whiteboard.

By the time lunch rolled around Kaida was frustrated enough that she didn't think she would be back for the other half of the day. The girl slapped her book closed and left. She was out of the school in a matter of minutes, her shoes traded and her skirt swirling around her knees with her speed.

The numbers kept coming and going. The more people and things that passed in front of her eyes the more numbers she saw. For every bone, for every wall, for every traffic light more numbers popped up, crowding her vision.

It all tried to swallow her.

Kaida ducked off the street, into a little cafe. There was less there, and she could almost see the menu.

She mumbled an order for a tea and passed them her card. She couldn't pick out the features of the barista's face, but she could see the pressure needed to break their skull apart, and the points on their cheeks where she needed to smack to shatter their bones.

Kaida muttered her thanks and left, almost falling right over a chair before she stumbled into an empty table. An empty table that needed exactly 7,440 psi at a 73 degree angle fourteen inches from the edge, facing into the grain.

She took a drink and opened her kindle, setting it in front of her to give the illusion of reading. A headache was coming on, throbbing behind her eyes. Was she cursed to flash between regular sight and this crap for the rest of her life?

She rubbed her eyes, grimacing when they started watering.

"D'you need glasses or something?"

She startled, spinning around and lashing out at whoever had snuck up on her. A strong fist caught her, the warm hand dwarfing her own. She caught a flash of red hair before the numbers flashed across her eyes. His were so much higher than the barista's had been. And, she knew his voice.

"Suoh?" she relaxed a little, taking her hand out of his. He sat behind her in class. She would sit up straighter sometimes so Honomi wouldn't notice him sleeping in class again.

"You've been rubbing her eyes all day, and you left text book," Suoh took the chair next to hers. Someone else, she assumed Kusanagi, sat across from her. The wall was to her right, leaving no more space for anyone to join them. Not that Kaida expected anyone else to join them.

Of course, she hadn't expected these two to join her either.

The numbers faded in time for her to see Kusanagi produced her math book. Her brows furrowed.

"You brought me my book?" she was surprised. They weren't exactly friends.

"The assignment is due tomorrow," Kusanagi pointed out, flashing her a smile, "And we don't want any lovely ladies to get bad grades."

"Awe, I didn't know you care," she rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. It faded when she looked at the math book and more numbers than were on the cover popped up. Damn it.

The boys around her shifted a little and she glanced at them, confused.

"What?" she asked, trying see their expressions past the numbers.

"Your eyes," Suoh leaned just a little bit closer. "They're black."

"Well yeah, they always are," she frowned at him deeper. Kusanagi shook his head, changing the pattern she saw of breaking parts. She needed a better name for those. Maybe, Shatter Points? Yeah, that would do.

"No, your eyes. All of them. There's no white at all."

Kaida stared at him. "You're kidding." There was no way that her eyes were all black. No way.

"I'm serious," he countered, pushing his bangs aside to see her better. She blinked, the numbers vanished, and he frowned.

"They're normal now," Suoh reported.

Kaida shoved her things in her bag, her stomach turning. Damn it, she didn't want to start going to classes at the Center. Her brother taught them, which was all well and good, but he would never let her have her anonymity again. And, she already spent too much time in the 'family business'.

But if she couldn't get her eyes to work she couldn't go to regular school.

"I'll see you guys later," she muttered, fleeing as fast as she could. She slipped into the street, the world spinning with numbers and Shatter Points. The city buzzed with people, talking, walking, running. Cars zoomed across the street, trains past in the distance. She could see, she could hear too much. How the hell was she supposed to get back home like this?

She pulled out her phone to try calling her brother, but she couldn't see the screen.

 _Damn it! Damn it all!_

"Hey, Kaida," Kusanagi walked out next to her, Suoh at his side. "Do you need some help?"

"No," she said quickly, her pride already wounded. Suoh was known for starting fights and getting in trouble, she didn't see why he would go out of his way to help her. Returning a book was one thing.

Souh ran his fingers through his red hair, which bombarded her with a million '71 g's and just as many breaking points. Thousands. Her head throbbed harder.

"Maybe," she back tracked. "Maybe I do. I can't really… see, like this. Everything is unfocused and confusing."

"Yeah?" Suoh looked at her. Or so she assumed. She couldn't see. _Son of a bitch_.

She nodded, closing her eyes against onslaught. "Yeah. It's been like this all day, since yesterday too. I don't know how to turn it off. "

Suoh sighed. "Then I guess we'll have to walk you home, right?" he looked at Kusanagi, who opened his phone. If he didn't know where she lived, Kaida would be amazed. "Unless you want to get hit by a car?"

She shook her head, grimacing. "No, thanks. You know you don't have to."

"No shit? I don't _have_ to do anything. I'm offering." Suoh turned and started walking down the street. Kusanagi fell into step with him. Kaida followed after, focusing on the part of his spine that needed 5987 newtons to break.

This was probably the most grim power she'd ever heard of.


	2. Kerosene

**The Red Queen Chapter 2: Kerosene**

* * *

Kaida stretched her arms behind her head, letting a piece of paper slip into the collar of her shirt, against her neck. She slumped in her seat, watching the white board with clear eyes. There was a moment before the paper disappeared. She heard it being unfolded, then Suoh snorted.

Kaida hid a grin at the ceiling. She felt amazing that day. Lighter, the weight that always rolled in her stomach had changed. It wasn't gone, but it lessened and it lifted her spirits.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw it pass over to Kusanagi. He glanced at her, one brow arched.

"What are you, twelve?" he folded the paper and slipped it into his shoe.

"No," Kaida flashed her teeth at him, "I'm a super spy, and I have to keep practicing. Duh."

"Of course you are," he drawled, "How could you be anything else when you look like-"

"Izumo! Is there something you'd like the share with the rest of us?" Honami asked from the front of the room. For all her voice was sharp her smile was amused. She was a nice woman, who would let you do whatever you wanted as long as you didn't get caught.

"Just that we have the prettiest teacher in Shizume City," he said, smiling sweetly.

Honomi shook her head and turned back to the lecture.

"Flirt," Kaira accused, making a face at him. Kusanagi winked at her.

It wasn't long after that Honomi dismissed them and left the room. The teenagers milled around, some bolting straight for the door. Kaida sat on her desk, turning so her feet were on the chair and she was facing Suoh, who had fallen asleep at some point.

She fished out her lunch box, flipped it open and pulling out half of a sandwich. The rest of it, some baby carrots, cabbage, and a few strawberries, she set down next to the sleeping red head's hand.

"You're going to spoil him," Kusanagi warned.

"That's fine," Kaida replied, biting into her sandwich. Everyone else who had stayed in the room gave them a wide berth. Besides her and Kusanagi no one wanted to be near Suoh. He didn't give many visible signs of how he was feeling, but when his temper snapped there was more than a few broken bones to go around.

Kaida wasn't afraid of that. Her Grandfather was a King, she was a Clansmen, and now a Strain. What had she to fear from a normal human?

She looked away from Kusanagi and found Mikoto staring at her. At her arm, where the sleeve had fallen down to reveal angry purple bruises, starting to turn green.

"What happened?" he asked. Kaida made a face and pulled her sleeve down.

"Nothing," she replied, shoving the rest of the sandwich in her mouth. She tried to tuck her hands out of sight but Suoh grabbed it first. He wasn't rough, but his hold was too strong to be gentle.

Kaida sighed. "Seriously, Suoh, it's nothing," she insisted. He pushed back her arm. The skin was tender and the bruise, when not covered, reached all the way to her elbow. In all honesty the bones should have broken, but she had reinforced them with Gold at the last second.

"Mikoto," he corrected. Kaida startled, staring at his amber eyes. They burned into her and for a second she saw something else, something wild and fierce and immensely threatening. She was looking into the eyes of a tiger, not a man.

She smiled, just a little.

"Mikoto," she repeated, testing the name. "I really am okay. I got into a scuffle."

"Since when do you fight?" Kusanagi asked, leaning in to see her arm. Like this, he and Suo- _Mikoto_ , blocked off the rest of the classroom. They were a barrier between her and the others. Kaida's smile grew larger.

"I fight sometimes, when I have to," she shrugged. The smile didn't slip off of her face.

"You like to," Mikoto said. It was preposterous. Kaida's mouth opened to deny the allegations, but she found that she couldn't.

"Why would I?" she said instead. "It's messy, and sweaty, and bloody. And it only ends up in pain."

"You know," Kusanagi said, "Lying to yourself is bad practice. "

Kaida rolled her eyes.

"Shut up and eat your lunch."

She looked out the window, where a boy with pale hair was looking up at them. He grinned when he caught her eyes and waved his hand high above his head. Kaida shoves a carrot into her mouth.

Weird.


	3. Knubble

**The Red Queen Chapter 3: Knubble**

* * *

Kaida adjusted her grip on her bag when the air around them changed. The fast paced anonymity of the city shifted away from them. They had the attention of everyone surrounding them.

A knife clicked to her right before the blade pressed against her throat. Kaida stood very still, surprised by this change of pace.

Mikoto and Kusanagi, who now insisted she call him Izumo, had taken to walking her home, or to the Nanakamado Research Center and Hospital, where she had an 'after school job'. It was fun, walking between the two of them down the city streets. Mikoto was as chill as anyone she had ever met, and Izumo had no problem keeping up conversations or flirting with her.

Some days they even had a tail, a little middle schooler who thought Mikoto was the cat's pajamas.

This was the first time they had ever had any trouble.

Kaida frowned, letting her bag drop from her shoulder to the ground below. Her favorite charm bounced on the ground, a little tiger clawing off the zipper on her side pocket. If the assailants said anything she didn't hear it.

In one smooth move she grabbed the hand holding the knife and pushed it away from her, turning herself and the arm until she was in a position to break it. As the knife holder screamed numbers flashed before her eyes, unwanted, and hid it when someone else came barrelling out to punch her in the face.

"Motherfucker!" she stumbled back, gripping her nose. She screwed her eyes shut to shut out the distractions. The air shifted and she grabbed the person that was trying to hit her. She rolled with the weight, taking them to the ground.

It wasn't the way she normally fought. It wasn't graceful, it wasn't fast strikes and agility, dancing away before she could be hurt. It wasn't smacking people with a stick from too far to be touched, and it certainly wasn't slicing through the air with a sword.

It was messy, her leg tore where the skirt moved up and her socks didn't reach and an elbow dug into her side. She couldn't see even if she opened her eyes.

Kaida punched him, something broke under her fist. The girl twisted, kicking hard something soft. A high pitched whine exited him. She scrambled up, the throbbing behind her eyes finally fading. She looked at a man that lunged at her and met him halfway, punching with everything she had. There was no gold, no grace. Just blood where his face caved under her fists and sweat that ran across her skin.

The man under her stopped moving eventually and Kaida stood up, blood on her hands. She glanced around and found herself the last one fighting. Everyone who had surrounded them before was either on the ground or running off.

Mikoto and Izumo were standing there, staring at her.

Heat lifted her face and she scrambled to smooth her skirt.

"Um," she said. The pavement certainly was interesting, wasn't it?

"So much for not liking fighting," Mikoto said. Kaida looked up, startled, in time to see a smile grace his face. Her face got hotter at the sight.

Mikoto rested a warm hand on top of her head, messing up her short hair.

"C'mon. Let's get you home."

Kaida turned and trailed after him, trying to hide a smile as he lead the way to her house. No one else was home, so she let them come in after her. It was plain, pristine and clean. It looked more like a stage than a home. No one was ever around _to_ live in it.

Kaida disappeared long enough to switch out of her school uniform and wash off her knee before she appeared to sit on the couch with her friends. She crossed her legs and leaned back on the couch, a smile still fixed on her face.

"You know, for someone who 'doesn't like fighting' you've had a skip in your step since you did fight," Izumo observed.

Kaida shrugged, looking away.

"It's… complicated," she said at last. Mikoto stretched himself across the couch, making himself at home. Kaida flushed when his head slipped back to cradle in the dip between her hip and her leg. Mikoto was shameless!

His amber eyes stared up at her, burning. She swallowed thickly, finding she couldn't look away.

"I- I always feel like, like there's something inside of me. Something hot and tight and it never goes away unless I'm fighting, or unless I've just fought. It makes me sick, but sometimes it gets worse. It gets bigger and hotter and I feel like if I don't do anything it'll swallow me whole."

"You should fight more then," Mikoto advised.

"I can't just go around starting fights," she objected. She was a Rabbit, the elite, and she had a responsibility to her family name.

"Why not?" Mikoto closed his eyes, utterly relaxed against her. "If you don't let some of that feeling out, it will consume you. "

Kaida had no idea at the time, but Mikoto knew all about being consumed by emotions.

There was an abrupt knock at the door. Kaida looked at Izumo, since she couldn't exactly move with Mikoto on top of her. She knew she could have just shoved him onto the floor and he, a boy with no power and no connection to the Dresden Slate, would just fall onto the floor. The problem was, she didn't want to. She found that she rather liked having him in his lap, the warmth of his body radiating into her and the familiar scent of cedar and cardamon floating up to meet her. Lately, a tinge of ash had joined it.

Kaida gently brushed his back out of his face and up into the rest of it. He looked up at her. Before, she would have called his expression unreadable. Now, she knew he thought she was being silly.

"It looks good this way," she defended, pouting.

The door was opened to reveal a familiar head of pale hair. The boy from the window.

"Totsuka," she recognized. He had begun to follow the trio around for the past couple of weeks. He shouldn't. If he knew what was good for him, he would stay away from trouble makers like the three of them.

"Hi," he smiled at them amiably. Kaida had never seen him when he wasn't smiling. He was so young, almost a full four years their junior. "Can I come in?"

Mikoto said, "No." Izumo shut the door in his face with a helpless shrug.

"Rude," Kaida accused.

"Did you want him in here?" Mikoto challenged.

Kaida didn't have an answer for that. She went back to fixing his hair the way she liked it, playing with the soft strands. It was such a pretty red. It matched his amber eyes well, offset in the dim light of her house. She liked him here. With her, in her home. With Mikoto and Izumo it didn't feel so empty.

With Mikoto, the burning in her veins was a pleasant heat instead of an oppressive, dangerous poison.

When neither of them were looking, Izumo took a picture.


	4. Kirin

**The Red Queen Chapter 4: Kirin**

* * *

Kaida's blood ran cold into her veins. She stared, eyes wide and mouth open, as the fire raged across the street. Street lights melted and car engines heated to the point of explosion. The sidewalk cracked and shattered beneath the feet of the King.

High above their heads energy crawled across a sword that hung in the sky, suspended in the clouds. Red swirled around the hilt, where a ruby gleamed. The tip curved strangely, pointing down at Mikoto.

Mikoto, her best friend, who was the King of the Red Clan. Mikoto, whose face had gone ashen. Mikoto, whose once amber eyes now glowed red when they met her.

He reached out, towards Kaida, and the fire did too.

She flinched back, stumbling away from it. From him.

Pain twisted his face and in that instant Kaida wished he _had_ burned her. Wished that she had taken a blow to the stomach that would justify the sudden twist in her guts. Wished that she could take back her cowardice and walk into the fire, towards her friend.

The street cleared of the last civilians, who had run screaming. At her feet a corpse smoldered, the gun in its hand melting into a mockery of a glove. A gun that been pointed at her only a second ago.

Kaida swallowed thickly.

"Mikoto," she begged, but she couldn't get anything else out. She couldn't explain her regret, she couldn't take away her actions.

Mikoto just looked at her and turned away, the red fire retreating under his skin. He walked off, hands shoved in his pockets to hide their shaking.

Kaida sunk to the ground and wept over the burned body.

* * *

The day after that, Mikoto, Izumo, and Kaida stopped attending class.

The Red Clan, newly formed, named itself Homra and opened a bar.

Kaida took on her role as a Rabbit full time, and vanished behind a gold mask to serve her grandfather.

Two years would pass before they would meet again.


	5. Kermes

**The Red Queen Chapter 5: Kermes**

* * *

The sounds of shouting came from around the corner ahead of them. Inside her mask Kaida sighed, silently. Rabbits didn't make noises, unless they were talking to each other or their King.

She wasn't here for trouble. She hadn't been in a real fight since the one that almost got her killed and cost her her best friend. Just the carefully coordinated ones that only left her with a tighter knot in her chest. .

She hadn't been here for trouble, honest. She was just checking in on the Center for her Grandfather, no one thought there would be something to do, let alone that a familiar boy who was no longer in middle school would come crashing around the corner.

Gen, the Blue Clansmen, caught the familiar face and twisted his arm behind his back, pinning him firmly.

"Totsuka!" Kamamoto yelled. Kaida was glad for her mask, it made it easier to hide her surprise, and it kept Tatara from recognizing her. Tatara had tailed Mikoto for almost a full year, getting into just as much trouble at the rest of them, only he never had the backup from Mikoto or Izumo or Kaida. He took the punches and came back the next day. He was a stubborn boy.

Kamamoto she only knew by his file. He was strong, and had no problems with violence. Usually seen with Misaki Yata and, by extension, Saruhiko Fushimi. Neither of which were obviously present, but she could hear a scuffle down the hallway.

"I was informed that there were intruders." Mizuchi spoke with a smile. His speech was calm, but underneath that could be felt a freezing cold temperature. He was always like that, chilly and distant for all he was usually smiling. "Who is in charge?"

Tatara made a face, looking between the two Gold Clansmen and Kamamoto. "Technically me, I guess?"

"Name yourself." While his expression was still soft Mizuchi was, as always, haughty. Kaida didn't care for him, he gave her the creepys.

"Clansman of Mikoto Suoh, the third king, Totsuka Tatara," he smiled politely.

Some slight scorn crossed out Mizuchi's softness. A mask as effective as the gold Kaida wore.

"…aah, I know your name. I believe, even though you're one of the first clansmen, you have unsuitably low abilities…"

"Haha, that's not a very nice way of remembering me." After smiling wryly, Totsuka abruptly changed his expression. From his usual smile, to a blank face. Kaida stiffened at the sight. "Are you Mizuchi?"

The man narrowed his eyes. Because of his deeply chiseled features, a dark shadow fell on his eyes, vanishing them.

"Correct. I am this Center's head, and the second King, Daikaku Kokujoji's clansman, Koushi Mizuchi."

After naming himself, Mizuchi glanced at the boy that had come up behind Tatara. He was one of the Strains in the class her brother taught, Hoshi, she thought his name was.

Tatara followed his gaze and said, helpfully, "We threatened that Strain over there into bringing us here."

Mizuchi gestured with his chin.

"Go."

After a short, hesitating pause the boy ran away, back down the corridor.

"So? If you have some sort of excuse, I'll listen," Mizuchi offered. Kaida turned her head towards him. That was not something he was supposed to offer. They were trespassing on another Clans territory, that wasn't something anyone but a King was supposed to be able to dismiss.

"You know a kid named Anna Kusina, right?"

Kaida's shoulders drew together. Honami's niece. Kaida had seen her file, she was a powerful Strain already, even when she was so young. What was going on here?

"…what about her?"

"That kid, she can't be called unrelated to us… last night, our members had a fight with some Blue Clansmen who seemed to be keeping watch on her."

Kaida tilted her head. That wasn't very unusual, Blue Clansmen often watched young, potentially dangerous Strains, as Mizuchi explained to Tatara. Still, they weren't supposed to engage rival Clansmen. What the hell was going on here?

There was a momentary silence.

"…the ones in charge of watching Kushina yesterday were the Minato brothers, correct?" Mizuchi addressed the question to Gen, who was in charge of the Blue Clan until a new King was selected.

"Yes," he confirmed. Kaida shifted when she saw Kamamoto eyeing the back of Gen's neck. Her hand dropped to the hilt of the sword at her side, which was a faster draw than the staff over her shoulders. Surely he wouldn't attack when they were outnumbered.

"Yesterday, the ones who came in contact with your clansmen were, shall we say, ones who have some slight faults in their personality. Surely what made you suspicious was that… however, it's extremely misguided to suspect the Center because of that. Just because the guards used were bad, it doesn't make sense to suspect the work of the one hiring them, does it?"

Except, it did. Her grandfather was meticulous in the recruitment of his subordinates, their loyalty was to him, or to the future of the country. And, when assigning people to observe Stains, especially young ones, they didn't send impulsive people or those that would kick up a fuss. What was Mizuchi thinking?

Gen's expression changed into an unpleasant one. Kaida could imagine how happy he was being treated like a glorified body guard to another Clan.

"…The red clan wishes to take that child."

In response to what Totsuka said, Mizuchi froze. "…what?"

"If I said that, what would you do?" Tatara looked at him, the challenge clear. Kaida bit her tongue to keep from laughing.

Mizuchi spat out a laugh.

"Ridiculous. She's a difficult Strain. There is no way the red clan which has violence as its creed could protect her. I am the one who will protect her future."

Something in the way he said that set Kaida's skin wrong. There was something happening here that she didn't like one bit.

"But, if that child were to choose us, you wouldn't have the right to stop it, would you?" Tatara pressed.

"She will not choose someone like you people."

Totsuka closed his mouth momentarily at Mizuchi's completely confident words.

"In any case, you people are criminals who invaded another king's territory. Rather than that nonsense, shouldn't you be trying to do something about yourselves?"

"Are you going to punish us?"

Mizuchi seemed to be lost for words for a moment at Totsuka's soft question. Kaida's stomach twisted. She tried to work her jaw loose enough to object.

"…I probably should."

Totsuka nodded slowly to that response.

"That's fine." He turned to Mizuchi and smiled his usual smile, one Kaida knew well. "In order to punish another king's clansman, proper formalities need to be observed… what I want to know is if you can do something like that openly without anything to hide."

Mizuchi's temple wrinkled a bit. Kaida could hear Kamamoto rebukingly say "Totsuka!" in a muffled voice, but she wasn't paying attention to him. She only had eyes for Tatara. A short silence fell. After sighing slightly, Mizuchi looked at the man in blue who was holding Totsuka.

Gen twisted Tatara's arm suddenly up, forcing it at an angel. Kaida blinked and winced at the numbers that appeared. That was bad.

"Totsuka!"

Tatara lifted a hand to stop his friend from lunging for him. Kaida could hear his muscles creaking. She shifted, gripping her sword tighter so she could slice Gen's arm off. Then, Tatara's eyes met hers through the holes in her mask and she froze. Tatara's eyes bored into hers, freezing her in place. It was like he could read her soul. Like he knew exactly who was under the mask.

"…I am the greatest and most powerful golden king's clansman. Of course I have nothing to hide. This center is also being properly managed under the observation of the 'Rabbits'." Mizuchi lightly waved one hand Kaida, including her in his arrogance.

Tatara grabbed his shoulder, grimacing.

"I don't know why you lot are feeling such suspicions for us, but we've done nothing to deserve it… however, dealing with a Red Clansman would cause some trouble for our King. I would not wish that for such a small incident as this." Mizuchi looked down at Tatara. "Begone."

After watching Mizuchi leave, Tatara sighed. Kamamoto came running and kneeled down next to him, heedless of the Golden Girl that stood over them. He only reacted when she took a step towards them, swinging a red fist towards her threateningly.

Tatara touched his shoulder. "It's okay, Kamamoto. She's a friend."

"What?" the teenager looked at him like he was crazy.

Kaida snorted inside of her mask, the sound muffled beyond recognition.

"How do you know that?" she asked, lowering herself to the ground in front of the younger man.

"I couldn't forget you. Neither did the others," he smiled at her like he knew she flinched under the gold. "What are you doing here?"

"My job. Let's see your shoulder," she moved in and Tatara turned to let her inspect it. The numbers flashed up with her will. She hissed in sympathy.

"I think your pain tolerance is higher than mine," she mumbled, laying her hand over. She placed her fingers just so and pushed. The nerves relaxed under the pressure and Tatara sighed in relief.

"You're the best," Tatara smiled at her. Kaida shook her head. If she was the best she would have put a stop to all of this.

"You boys should go, before you cause more trouble," she advised. Tatara tilted his head, looking up at her. He was still smiling. He was always smiling. Kaida didn't understand.

"You should come by the bar. Mikoto misses you."

Kaida bowed her head. She didn't think she could do that. She didn't think she belonged.


	6. Katabasis

**The Red Queen Chapter 6** : **katabasis**

* * *

"Mizuchi, what the hell are you doing?" her voice was low, sharp. Dangerous. Gold glinted in her eyes behind the rabbit shaped face plate. Mizuchi hadn't gained any combat abilities. Only one in a few hundred did, to be fair, and those that were gifted with such power were welcomed into the Rabbits. They were the Gold Clans elite, the strongest, more than a challenge for the best of the rest of the Clans.

Mizuchi looked over at her, his smile never leaving. She found that she hated him. Underneath him was a little girl, totally unconscious, dripping with water. Not just any girl, it was Honami's niece. Anna. That girl the Reds had come asking after.

It wasn't uncommon to find children here. Her own brother had developed his powers as a Strain he was a mere nine, and Zuri, a young telepath that now oversaw construction, had begun exhibiting her abilities when she was a toddler. There were plenty of children who exhibited superhuman abilities.

The uncommon, the _disgusting_ part of the scene, was the burn marks on her arms. The water dripping out of her mouth. Kaida's fist clenched at her side, the other hand moving to pull the sword out of her hip. She pointed the gleaming tip at Mizuchi's throat.

The lab around them was perfectly white, except for the blue water in the tank Anna floated in. Mizuchi stood out of his spinning chair, narrowed his eyes at her but didn't lose his smile.

"I'm taking Anna now," Kaida's voice shook with her fury, "And your head."

"You couldn't even if you tried," his smile turned nasty. "I'm the strongest of the Gold Clan, you won't beat-"

She cut him cleanly, from hip to shoulder. Blood sprayed out over her hands, soaking her long black robes and the perfect white floor. Mizuchi stumbled back. Kaida went to scoop up Anna, but pain shot through her arm.

She hissed, drawing back to find a dart embedded in her arm. She ripped it out and looked over at Mizuchi. Gold had encased his body and before her very eyes the horrible wound she had inflicted repaired itself. Mizuchi stood straight, not even a scar to show for her troubles. In his hand was a tranquilizer gun, one of the handheld ones they used for dangerous Strains.

Kaida pressed the sharp blade of her katana against her arm, above the impact of the dart. Maybe she could drain out the poison before it got to the rest of her system.

Mizuchi lifted the gun again and she sidestepped the next dart, lunging to drive her sword into his guts before she cracked him across the face with her elbow. With her other hand she pointed, gathering a golden light to the tip of her finger. It shot off like a bullet, through his lungs, threw times. Blood poured around their feet. Mizuchi cracked her across the head with the gun and she stumbled, the world swimming.

She straightened up in time to knock another dart away with the blade of her sword.

Mizuchi stood between her and the girl, totally unharmed. The only remains of her attack were the tears in his clothes. Worse, she was starting to get dizzy, blood flowing freely from her self inflicted wound. This was bad. This was so bad.

Mizuchi brought his wrist up and spoke into the radio embedded into the watch.

"Attention all Blue and Gold Clansmen! There is a rogue Rabbit in the facility. I Repeat, and rogue Rabbit had infiltrated the center."

He turned a smug smile on Kaida. The knowledge of what she had to do made her sick to her stomach.

She turned her back on the little girl, and ran.


	7. Kindling

**The Red Queen: Chapter 7, Kindling**

* * *

It was dark when she woke up. There was only minimal light filtering in through the curtains, spilling across hardwood floor. The flash of city lights, only just dimmer than the sun, illuminated discarded clothes on the floor. The room had little more than the bed, just a chest of drawers and a stool in one corner where a laptop sat. A phone charger hung out of the wall.

Kaida breathed in the familiar scent of smoke, cardamon and cedar.

"Mikoto."

She sat up slowly. The distinct feeling of wanting to throw up but not having anything in her stomach came with a wave of vertigo.

Right, she'd been drugged. By Mizuchi. The last thing she remembered was stumbling into an ally while her former subordinates hunted her down at the word of a madman. She had fallen, onto the ground and into darkness.

Anger flared red hot inside her until she could hardly breath. How dare he? What kind of sick son of a bitch would torture a child for their powers? How much pain had Anna already endured at his hands? She had seen burns, bruises, she had walked in on her being nearly drowned. What else had he done to her? So many questions. Such unpleasant answers.

Kaida grimaced. She at least knew why the Reds were interested in the girl. Honami, her aunt, her been a teacher at their school. She, Mikoto and Izumo had been close to her for years. After her… falling out, with the boy she hadn't seen much of any of them. Intentionally. He didn't think she could face Mikoto after she'd hurt him so much.

Now, she didn't seem to have a choice.

Kaida sighed heavily and pushed the blankets off of her. At some point someone had taken her out of the black robes, the uniform for Rabbits. She was left in just her underwear, and the bandages on her shoulder.

Someone had folded her pants and a shirt and laid them on the nightstand next to her, the gold mask gleaming on top. Just the sight of it made her sick. Her whole family was a part of the Gold Clan, her brother worked with Mizuchi. The idea that they had let someone like him have that power was disgusting. Even worse was the knowledge that her grandfather had to know about it. Her knew all that happened in his clan. Something like this wouldn't slip by him.

Kaida took her pants out of the pile, trying not to think about who had been the one to undress her in the first place. The shirt wasn't hers, it wasn't her size and she had never owned anything in this shade of vague purple.

It would do.

Kaida picked up the mask, holding in shaking fingers as she looked over the red blaze that swept between the eyes and the black markings that phrased the eyes. It was more familiar than her own face nowadays.

She grimaced and roughed a hand through her hair, spiking it even further than it had been. When she had left school she had shaved it all off, and even two years later it wasn't much longer. A couple of inches, at most.

With nothing else to do she made for the door, mask swinging from her fingertips. The hallway outside lead her down the stairs. The living room was deserted but she could hear people talking on the other side of a door.

Silent as the grave Kaida pushed the door open and stepped into a bar. It was spotless, every surface gleaming softly in the low light. The peaceful ambiance clashed horribly with her choking feelings. Guilt, regret, fear. She hadn't been able to beat Mizuchi. She was supposed to be the strongest of the Rabbits, the best of the best. Yet, she had lost. When it mattered most, when a child was on the line, she hadn't been able to save them. Was good was all of her power if she couldn't used it-

Mikoto sat at the bar, where Izumo was polishing fine wine glasses. More faced scattered around the room, boys of Homra talking, bickering, eating. She catalogued their faces mechanically. Misaki Yata, Rikio Kamamoto, Saruhiko Fushimi and more.

Kaida's heart squeezed tight in her chest. She shoved the mask onto her face, hiding her wet eyes behind it.

"You're awake," Izumo said. The activity in the bar stopped and all eyes turned to her. Tatara was watching her, a placid smile in place. A video camera was aimed towards her.

Kaida nodded stiffly.

"That gash on your arm was pretty bad. You scared Yata, when you wouldn't wake up he brought you here." It was nice to at least know how she had arrived. She swallowed thickly. Her mouth tasted like chalk all of a sudden.

She crossed with the room with mechanical grace. Mikoto turned to look at her. She was devastated to find that now she, to, couldn't read his face.

They stood there like that for an eternity crammed into a few seconds, Mikoto staring straight into the blackness of her eye holes.

"Please," his face blurred before her eyes, "Please, Mikoto. You have to help her."

Izumo put down the glass. Mikoto's brows drew together.

"Who-"

"Anna!" she choked. "He's hurting her. I don't understand why. I-I couldn't save her. I didn't have the power. Please!" She dropped her head, squeezing her eyes shut as the tears over flowed and raced down her cheeks. "Please help her."

Mikoto's boot clacked on the floor when he stepped down from the barstool. He stopped just in front of her.

"Sure. We'll get Anna. But you have to do something too."

Kaida's head snapped up. She stared, wide eyed, at the man that stood before her.

Mikoto had grown. He stood a full head higher than she was, maybe more. His hair spiked up around his head, besides a couple of bangs that fell in his face. His eyes caught her. Tiger's eyes that glowed red instead of shining amber.

His fist was offered to her, fire wrapped around it. It flickered in front of her face.

"Never be afraid."

Kaida's heart throbbed. She tapped the back of her hand against his. Even if it burned her, that was fine. If she could make it up to Anna, for failing her… If she could make it up to Mikoto, for betraying his trust… She would let her skin smolder right off.

It wasn't as hot as she thought it would be. It didn't burn. Red stretched across her arm, wrapped around her whole body in a warm embrace that lifted her spirits and soothed her heart. The heat pulsed around her in a heartbeat. The gold mask on her face splintered and turned to ash, falling off around her shoulders.

Fire washed across her, freeing her from her golden prison.


End file.
